FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] orioles, grosbeaks and freeze damage

[Joan C Reese/SPEC/PS/EXT/UTIA <jreese5@xxxxxxx>]

Island Road, Chester County

No way to validate this scientifically, but I am convinced the reasons we
are seeing so many orioles and possibly even the grosbeaks, is because the
freeze damage has significantly impacted their natural food supplies. I've
always heard that orioles make extensive use of the blooms on tulip poplar
(Liriodendron tulipifera - also known as yellow poplar, though it isn't a
poplar at all - easy to see if you have ever examined the bloom which
strongly indicates its inclusion in the family Magnoliaceae.) This tree was
severely impacted by the cold temps, and most are still brown in my part of
the world.

I know there are natural cycles of plentiful food and scarce food, and bird
populations will naturally rise and fall with good times and hard
times...but! If you are one who likes to interfere with these cycles in
your own small way, I think this is the year to take up oriole feeding.
Those of you who don't believe in feeding the birds can delete at this
point.

So far the orioles in my yard in Chester County have found strawberries,
green grapes, oranges, grape jelly and berry flavored suets to their
liking. Of course, they also drink solutions of sugar water, but so far the
orioles at my house have ignored the sugar solutions in favor of the fruit,
though the first time I saw them, they were drinking at the hummingbird
feeders.  I'm cruising the produce aisle at the grocery store on my way
home today to experiment with other fruits.

This is my first venture into feeding jelly. I'd appreciate any tips on
fending off ants, wasps and bees. So far I've been just putting small
amounts in the "old" orange skins, or putting jelly in a small bowl atop a
post that I first sprayed with insect repellent. Keeps the ants off, and I
guess if the bees and wasps want some, they are probably short their
natural foods as well...

cr

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